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I'm a long time lurker and first time poster. I just picked up an '02 330Ci about a week ago and decided to replace the old, rotting rotors with some new hotness.

Replacement has been going well until the rear driver side. I've got the caliper out of the way and the rotor loose off the hub (i.e. it spins freely), but it refuses to come off. I can pull it off maybe 4-5mm, but it feels as if there's a spring pulling the rotor back into place.

The parking brake is off, and I don't think that there's any mechanism other than the rotor locating pin to keep the rotor on the hub.

At best, I can only think that the parking brake is still partially engaged, but I can't locate the adjustment sprocket for the life of me! Are there any tricks to doing so, or is it supposed to be in a certain position? I can locate the springs of the parking brake, but don't see any signs of the sprocket. There are years and years of grime to contend with, however.

If I just get ignorant with the rotor and rip it out, am I apt to damage the parking brake? Well, assuming that the parking brake is the culprit.

Not sure about BMW's but do they have the E-brake shoes built into the inside of the rotor's? If so there is a rubber grommet that cover's the adjustment gear and you can spin the gear to back off the e-brake shoes. Other wise get a nice hammer and strike it, it might be rust build up.

Thanks for the reply, sol, and you are correct in that the e-brake is built into the rear rotors.

I've also tried beating it with a deadblow hammer but it seems to be free of any rust that's sticking to it.

As an update, I did find the adjustment gear and loosened the e-brake as far as it would turn. I've got ~4mm of clearance between the inside of the rotor and what I think is the e-brake pad. I'm able to ease the right side of the rotor a bit further now until it gets caught by the left side. I'll take some pics tomorrow so it's a bit more clear.

For some reason, it feels as if the rotor is somehow tangled up with the left side of the e-brake . When I pull on the rotor to come off, I hear a spring being stretched.

you can put a screw driver inside and push the assembly to the right a bit, but try spinning the gear the other way when you completely back off it off you should be able to slide the rotor right off. Another thing it could be is a seized e-brake cable not fully disengaging. BTW I hate the inner shoe e-brake system drive's me crazy lol

Thanks bro, I'll give that a shot tomorrow. I feel ya on the e-brake man, it is maddening. The more I do routine maintenance on the car though, the more I see that the previous owners neglected the thing, haha.

Brake's are easy as long as you do everything proper. While doing the brakes I hope you really cleaned out the slide's/ lubbed slider's/ pin's and scuffed the pad's / rotor's! you'll also have to re-adjust the rear e-brake, generally you tighten the inner shoes until the rotor stop's spinning, then back it off by 3 click's. good luck!

To check the cable just push it back and forth (while disengaged) see if it's firm or has slack. I also hope you took the set screw's off the rotor lol